


Parallel Lines

by KiaraLee_16



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: F/M, Inspired by my science lesson, It's bad, Jisung is soft, Other, Slow Burn, Slow Updates, but please give it some love, from 2 years ago, hyunjin is supposed to be a mystery, i swear it gets better, mean bestie seungmin, your gurl's dying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-10-15 00:45:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17518988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KiaraLee_16/pseuds/KiaraLee_16
Summary: Like two parallel lines, we were always close to each other but never really had our meeting.And like those lines, we met and said 'Goodbyes'.We went our own ways after finally crossing each other's path.orthat time where Hyunjin got himself involved with the game of life and ended up loving every single moment of it.(i'm so bad a t summaries)





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> Heyyo everyboy!  
> It's your gurl Lily right here  
> it's my first time writing here in A03, so please bear with me.  
> this is my first Stray Kids Fanfic, and i'm really trying to give the best result.  
> i'm currently a senior high student, so life's busy for me.  
> but i swear i'll finish this story one way or another.  
> that's about it...  
> byee  
> (excuse my awkward self)

"I'll always be here.

Even though you won't be able to see me,   
just know that I'm always here.

Always.

And only for you."


	2. Monday Mornings and Kitchen Disasters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She's sick, it's Monday and milk is dripping from the fridge.

The shrill ringing of what could be assumed as an alarm clock broke the peace and serenity of that Monday morning. A figure huddled under the pristine sheets started squirming as the clock continued ringing.

With a groan of annoyance, the figure hidden by the thick blankets sat up and glared at the source of her distress.

Scowling, she slammed her palm on the still ringing device, only to wince in pain as her hand missed its target. She let out another groan as she kicked her blanket as if it personally offended her and stood up to approach the clock that was seriously starting to get on her nerves. Muttering a soft curse under her breath, she turned the clock off and immediately let out a breath of relief as she embraced the silence that once again filled her room.

That silence, however, didn't last as long as she wanted to. The sound of pots and pans clanging to each other pierced the peaceful atmosphere. She let out a series of groans and stomped her foot as she glared at her closed door.

Running her hand through her hair, she decided that maybe her time to sleep was truly over. Her lips unknowingly formed into a pout as she stared longingly at her bed.

Sighing in defeat, she walked to her dresser as she took out a fresh set of clothes. Laying those on her bed, she padded to the bathroom and did her morning routine with a frown.

Peeling her sleeping wear off, she turned on her shower and let the lukewarm water fall unto her figure. With hurried movements, she shampooed her shoulder length hair. She grabbed her peach-scented body wash and she squeezed enough amount into her palm and quickly spread it on her skin. Turning the shower on again, she washed off all the foams and bubbles on her body. She took her huge towel and wrapped herself as she positioned herself in front of the mirror.

Sighing, she examined her reflection and brought her fingers up to trace her face.

 

_ Dark circles. Droopy eyes. Dried lips. _

 

She quietly chuckled at her reflection before taking her hairbrush and started brushing her dripping hair. She winced at the tangled hairs her brush passed but continued running the brush.

Taking a small bag from her left, she opened it and took out a stick of concealer. She went on and spread a small amount of the said cosmetic unto the skin surrounding her eyes as well as her forehead. Using her ring finger, she softly tapped the concealer-covered part of her face, trying to make it blend with her natural skin color. Pulling out a cherry-flavored lip balm, she put on a thin layer before smacking both her lips.

She looked at her reflection once again and nodded in satisfaction as she saw herself looking more refreshed than she did a few minutes ago.

Walking out of her bathroom, she made sure that her window curtains were closed and that her door was locked, before dropping her towel and proceeded to change into her fresh clothes.

After putting her clean, white blouse on, she took her dark blue-colored necktie and tried to put it on as neatly as she could.  _ Tried. _

After a few minutes of tugging at the piece of cloth in her hand and almost chocking herself with it, she decided to just hang it on her neck as she took her yellow blazer and put it on.

Quickly gathering her things, she stuffed all her essentials which she deemed useful.  She looked around her room for a few minutes before her eyes locked into her phone lying on top her bedside table.

Snatching both her bag and phone, she quickly went out of her room. She descended the stairs and went to the kitchen where she heard the sound of spoon falling to the wooden floor with a dull thud.

Leaning on the kitchen door, she observed the person who was responsible for all the noises in that early morning. The other person appeared to be cooking something, but judging from the curses he released in every passing minute, the said cooking doesn't seem to be working.

She quietly cleared her throat as she walked into the kitchen where she saw more utensils lying on places they don't belong to.

A pan was sitting in top of the sink with something black in it; under those were stacks of used plates. Almost all the cupboards were opened. Flour was spilled on the floor. Egg shells lay atop the kitchen counter a _nd is that milk dripping from the fridge?_

The figure in front of her stopped whatever he was doing as he noticed her presence behind him. Slowly turning to face her, she was welcomed by the sight of her father giving her a sheepish smile.

"You're awake?" He asked as he brought his flour-covered arm to rub his nape.

She silently nodded as she let her eyes take in the condition of their once clean kitchen.

Noticing her stare, her father quickly turned his back to go back to what he was doing, only to see that what he was attempting to cook is now unrecognizable.

"Damn it!" He exclaimed as he snatched the pan that was now spitting fire and dumping it into the sink.

Shaking her head, she approached her father's figure.

"Just go and prepare for work, Dad. I'll take over." She said as she gently pushed her father aside. 

She caught the sorry smile her father offered her and gave one in return, before turning her attention back to the task at hand.

Exiting the room, her father proceeded to his own room, leaving her to continue what he attempted to do.

She quietly continued what her father was trying to do; _making pancakes, bacon and eggs_.

Expertly flipping the pan, she took a clean plate and carefully placed the cooked pancake.

Opening the fridge to her right, she couldn't help but release a deep breath as she tried to control the annoyance that was starting to creep out of system once again.  
There, placed inside the fridge, is a leaking carton of fresh milk.

She threw her head back and blankly stared at the ceiling as she let herself calm down before taking two eggs and closing the fridge with a slam.

Turning to the pan, she cracked the eggs and let her expert hands do the work. She let the egg cook before reaching to take another plate, only to have her hand touch nothing but air.

Glancing, she realized that her father used all the clean plates in his earlier attempts. Rolling her eyes, she took a bowl and transferred the cooked egg into it.

Taking her father's mug, she filled it a teaspoon of coffee and a bit of sugar, before pouring hot water in it. The aroma of coffee filled the air, mixed with the smell of her father's burnt attempts at cooking.

She set her father's mug on the table before taking a clean glass and filling it with fresh lemon juice for herself. Sitting down at her seat, she started eating her portion of her breakfast. She was in the middle of eating when her father entered the kitchen; now dressed in his formal office wear.

"Did you have a good sleep?" He asked as he took a sip of his coffee and humming in delight at its taste.

"Yes, Dad." she shortly answered.

"Are you sure you're feeling well enough to go to school?", asked her father; casting her direction a worried glance.

"Of course. I've had enough rest for the past three days. And besides, I can't afford to miss another day of school.", she answered before gulping down the remaining food.

Her father just hummed in response as they proceeded to eat in silence. She drank the remaining juice in her glass before excusing herself to brush her teeth.

Entering her bathroom, she took her toothbrush and squeezed some toothpaste on it and started brushing her teeth. After making sure that her teeth had been brushed properly, she took some water and washed her mouth. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she took her lip balm once again and applied some on her dry lips.

Feeling satisfied, she went to take her bag and entered the kitchen once again.

"I'm going to school now," she informed her father who was in the middle of his meal.

Hearing what she said, he motioned something using his hands while his mouth was full of food. She stared at her father with raised eyebrows as he tried to swallow his food as fast as possible.

"I'll send you to school." He said before standing up and proceeded to his room.

"No it's fine dad. You're going on the opposite way. I'll just take the bus." She said with a shake of her head.

"No no no. You just recovered from your fever. I'm sending you." He said while running around to gather his things.

She stared at her father's back with sympathy. Ever since her mother left, her father had no choice but to be both the mother and the father of the family. It's been years, but she can see how his father still struggled to balance the new life without his wife by his side. He had to take care of his child and work at the same time.

She shook her head at the sudden thought  about how different things would be if her mother was around.

"It's fine dad. I'm already feeling good. I don't want you to be late for work," she declined as her father stared at her.

"Are you sure?" He asked as he realized that she  _does_  have a point.

Nodding her head, she gave him a kiss on his cheeks before taking her shoes.

He followed her to the door with a worried glance.

"Make sure to call me if you don't feel well, okay? Also don't forget to drink medicine if you don't feel good. Also inform your teacher if you need to go to the infirmary. And make sure to call m-"

"Yes dad. I'll make sure to let you know if anything's wrong. I'll inform the teachers as well. So I'm going now and you better go as well or else you'll be stuck in traffic.", she said as she cut her father's rant off.

Turning her attention back to her father, she was met with his concerned eyes. Sighing softly, she hugged him and inhaled his familiar scent.

"I love you dad. Very much.", she said in a tiny voice.

He brought his hand up to stroke his daughter's hair. Taking a deep breath, he landed a loving kiss on top of her head before muttering his reply, "I love you too, little bear."

Chuckling at his endearment, she pulled away from the hug and smiled at her father. She turned her back and opened the door before looking back to her father and gave out a small wave.

Her father returned the gesture before closing the door. As soon as the door closed, he inhaled deeply and gathered his thoughts. He stared at the silent house before him before he continued gathering his things. Like his daughter, he couldn't help but feel sorry to her. He knows that as a father, he lacked a lot of things when it comes to nurturing her. He knows that there are a lot of things he wasn't able to give her as she grew up; like a perfectly happy family. He wasn't able to be by her side as she grew up to be the person she is today. But still, he couldn't help but feel relieved that his daughter grew up to be a wonderful person. He can't help but thank God that he's been blessed to have a daughter like her.

After gathering his things, he exit the house and made sure to lock the door behind him.

And just like that, the day of the Lee household has begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 1 is finally here.  
> I know it's bad, bu I hope you liked it :)


	3. Ties and Vending Machine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The vending machine ate her money and isn't it too early for cola?

Sitting on the bus stop, she scrolled through her phone; reading messages of those who wished for her to get well soon. She tried to reply to those messages as swiftly as she could before tapping her best friend's contact. After composing a message, she quickly hit 'Send' and waited for a response. Seeing that her message was left unread, she concluded that her friend is still rushing with her routine after waking up late; like always.

 

Closing her phone, she stared at the passing cars in front of her. She let her mind drift as she tried to recall if she forgot to do any of the homework given to them the week before.

 

The ringing of her phone snapped her out of her dazed state. Seeing her friend's face appear on her screen, she tapped the answer button; bringing the phone to her ear level.

 

Her friend's loud voice entered her hearing as she picked up the call, _"LILY! I'm so sorry I didn't reply to your message! I didn't hear my alarm so I got up late! Oh my gosh! I'M REALLY SORRY!"_

 

Chuckling quietly at her friend's blabbering, she replied in a calm voice, "It's alright, Hana. I just messaged you in case you slept in."

 

_"Oh my gosh! I'm about to lose my mind! I haven't eaten yet and I don't have the time to eat!",_  she exclaimed as rustles were heard in the background.

 

"Take your time. The school's not going anywhere." she replied with a grin.

 

_"I'm ending the call now! I'll see you in at least five minutes- ten at most!"_ she said, followed by silence; indicating that she had indeed ended the call.

 

Shaking her head at her friend, she pocketed her phone and gazed at the street in front of her once again.

 

The early spring wind blew, causing her hair to flow with the wind. Taking the hair tie from her wrist, she tied her hair in a loose ponytail.

 

Letting her eyes wander, she caught sight of a little girl at the other side of the road, dressed in a uniform and holding the hand of an older woman beside her.

 

She let her eyes follow the two figures as she let out a deep breath before averting her eyes. However, she couldn't stop her mind from forming questions and coming up with images she wished were true.

 

She shook her head as if it would make the images and questions disappear from her mind.

 

'What ifs' filled her mind as she stared at her shoes. Unbeknownst to her, a figure from a distance was approaching where she was sitting. She was so deep in thought that she jumped on her spot as she felt two arms wrap around hers. With wide eyes, she stared at the newcomer beside her before relaxing as she saw the familiar face of her childhood friend.

 

"You scared me." she said quietly to the sweating girl next to her.

 

"Did you run from your house?"  she continued asking as the other tried to catch her breath.

 

Her friend- Hana- nodded as she tried to even out her breathing. Lily patted her friend's knee as she smiled at her. Turning her attention to the street, she smiled as she saw the bus pulling up.

 

"The bus is here. Let's go." she said as she pulled Hana to her feet. Both friends boarded the bus and chose to sit at the seat towards the very back.

 

Taking the window seat, Lily stared at the blurry structures of the buildings they pass. Catching her own reflection, she looked down to see her tie still hanging on her neck. She turned to the person next to her and slightly tapped her arm. Hana turned towards her direction and saw the silent girl pointing at her undone tie.

 

Putting her own phone down, Hana took Lily's tie and proceeded to fix it for her friend.

 

"You still don't know to put on a tie?" Hana asked with a slight chuckle.

 

Shaking her head, Lily replied.

 

 

"I almost choked myself earlier."

 

Patting the wrinkled tie, Hana turned her attention to her friend who looked at her fixed tie with amazement.

 

" Why didn't you ask Uncle to fix it for you?"

 

"Dad had a busy morning. He tried cooking breakfast."  she replied as she smiled at the memory of her flour-covered father.

 

"Sounds like you also had a rough morning." her friend replied with a sigh.

 

Silently nodding, both girls let the comfortable silence overtake their conversation.

 

Despite their differences, both girls shared an irreplaceable bond between them. Other people might think that their friendship won't last due to their major differences, but the both of them took advantage of their differences and started building their friendship. Despite their similarities in some aspects, they believe that their friendship is standing strong due to their opposite personalities.  _After all, one cannot complete a picture if all the puzzle pieces are the same._

 

To put it short, both girls built their foundation on different grounds and started working from that.

 

Noticing that their stop was approaching, Lily tapped Hana who also looked up. Standing up, they took their place near the door along with some other students who also go to their school.

 

As the bus door opened, both girls went down and started walking to their school's direction.

 

"So", Hana started.

 

Lily turned to her friend as she waited for her to continue talking.

 

"How did you convince Uncle?"

 

"Convince to what?", she asked in return.

 

"Convince to go to school, of course! Knowing him, he must've created a fuss.", Hana exclaimed with wide eyes.

 

"He did. I told you, he tried cooking earlier. But he allowed me to go to school though, of course with a lot of reminders to do this and that.", she replied with a chuckle.

 

"Right. Oh well, at least you wouldn't miss today's classes. Last Friday was enough. And knowing you, you're probably freaking out about the lessons you missed."

 

"I am. I mean, that was three lessons that I missed.", she replied with a frown.

 

"You don't need to worry though, you're smart. I'm pretty sure you'll catch up.", Hana stated with a shrug.

 

Entering the school grounds, they were welcomed by the buzzing sounds of students filling the hallway. Students standing with their own circle of friends talked to each other. Different conversations from left to right.

 

Both friends walked straight to their lockers; smiling to those who greeted them a good morning.

 

Stopping at her locker, Hana turned to the girl beside her.

 

"I'll see you at lunch?"

 

Humming in reply, Lily proceeded to her own locker.

 

Sadly, both friends don’t belong to the same class.

 

Opening her locker, she took the books she would be needing for her morning class.

 

Unlike other schools, they only have four lessons a day; two for the morning and two for the afternoon. Their classes are in an alternate rotation, meaning that their subjects every Mondays are also their subjects every Wednesdays, and the same thing for every Tuesdays and Thursdays. Friday, however, is different. Seeing as it is a performing arts school, Friday afternoons are mainly focused club activities. But Friday mornings also follows Monday and Wednesday schedule.

 

Taking her English and History book, she closed her locker and walked to the direction of her classroom.

 

As she walked down the corridors, she tried to be as unnoticeable as possible. Blending in with the crowd, she picked up her pace and sighed in relief as she saw the familiar door of her classroom.

 

She was welcomed by the sound of her classmates' chattering and talking to each other. As soon as she closed the door, everyone's attention was focused on her. Loud greetings from almost everyone reached her ears as she smiled to all of them.

 

"Good to see you back, Lily!"

 

"Are you feeling well now?"

 

"Good morning!"

 

She gave out a smile and replied to some of the questions thrown her way. Setting her books down her table, she took her bag off and sat comfortably on her assigned seat.

 

Just a few moments after she sat down, the school bell rang, and everyone ran to get to their seats. Their classroom door opened as their History teacher- Mr. Jung- entered their class.

 

"Good morning class.", Mr. Jung greeted.

 

Everyone stood up and in unison, greeted their teacher back.

 

"Good morning, Mr. Jung!"

 

Nodding in satisfaction, he motioned everyone to take a seat.

 

Lily tried to listen and take down as many notes as she could in order for her to catch up with their last lesson. After a few minutes of discussion, she slowly started to relax as she understood more about what they were supposed to learn that day.

 

Scribbling down important information, she gave her full attention to the teacher who did nothing but focus on his discussion; not caring even if half of the class is starting to doze off.

 

Only Mr. Jung's voice filled the silent room, accompanied by the occasional sound of yawns from different students.

 

The ringing of the bell jolted almost everyone out of their sleepy state. Mr. Jung cleared his throat as he closed his book. Turning towards the class, he gave them a grin that made the students squirm in their seats.

 

"We will be having a short quiz next meeting as a review.", he announced as groans of disappointed filled the room. He chuckled as he took in everyone's facial expressions.

 

"See you on Wednesday, class!", he said before leaving the class.

 

Everyone closed their books, while some stood up and went out the door. Opening her bag, Lily took out a tiny pack of bread as she cleared her table. She put her History book next to her bag and placed her English book on top of her table.

 

Munching on her bread, she turned to face the window as she tried to stretch her legs. Outside the field, she saw students from other classes finishing their P.E. classes at the field.

 

She glanced at their wall clock and nodded when she saw that she still have some time to go out and buy herself a drink. Taking her wallet with her, she went out and walked to the nearest vending machine. If there's one thing she loved about their school, it's the number of vending machines spread throughout the whole school.

 

Taking some coins, she stood in front of the machine as she tried to choose what to buy. It must've been quite long because she heard someone clearing their throat from behind her. Spinning around, she faced a male she recognized as one of her classmates, standing behind her with his hands on his pocket. Coughing out an apology, she stepped aside and watched as he dropped his coins into the machine and choosing his drink without hesitation.

 

_Isn't it too early to drink Cola?_

 

The said boy crouched down to take his drink and left without a word-not that she's surprised. That boy was known to be a silent one.

 

She dropped her coins to the machine and chose a plain-flavored milk. As the machine let out a thud, she crouched down to take her drink, but she was welcomed by nothing but an empty space. She lifted her head as she stared at the machine in silence. She slowly stood up and tapped the said machine.

 

"Hey. Give me my drink." she said, as if the vending machine could understand her.

 

She waited for a few moments as she continued staring to where her drink was supposed to be dropped a few minutes ago.

 

Glaring at the machine, she kicked it a few times. She was already on her third attempt at kicking, when another leg kicked the machine with a much greater force. She jumped in shock at the sound that resounded to the almost empty hallway. Snapping her eyes to the owner of the leg, she found the same boy from earlier, sipping on his can of cola.

 

"You have to kick it harder or it won't give you your drink at all.", he said silently before turning around and entered their classroom.

 

She stood there like a statue before crouching down to see if her drink was there. And true enough, she found her milk lying there. Taking it out, she stared at it as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

 

She started walking towards their class before she stopped abruptly.

 

_Did Hwang Hyunjin just talk to me?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Mr. Hwang is finally making an appearance everyone!!  
> please look forward to future chapters!


	4. Chapter 4: Notes and Disaapoinments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hwang Hyunjin Hated disappointing people.

If you were to ask anyone inside the campus _"Who's the most mysterious student?",_ most people would have two answers. After all, the school have an unofficial boy and girl representative for that. Hwang Hyunjin and Lily. And to each other, they are a mystery as well.

Lily's mind was spinning as she thought back to their earlier encounter. That was their first time to  _really_ interact with each other. Not that they hate each other, they just didn't have the reason to do so before.

As Mrs. Yoon- their English teacher- enthusiastically taught the whole class, Lily's attention was on the unopened milk sitting on the top of her table.

She turned her head to look at the person who's currently invading her mind and saw him listening intently to their lesson.

Giving out a sigh, she took the milk and stuffed it in her bag, before turning her attention to their teacher.

Time seemed to pass so fast when you're not paying attention to it, because the next thing she knew, the bell's already ringing-indicating that lessons are over, and it's time to eat their lunch.

She was in the middle of keeping her things when she heard Mrs. Yoon calling her.

Standing up, she slowly walked towards the teacher's table.

"Yes, Mrs. Yoon?", she asked silently.

"You missed your classes last Friday and I gave out a few important notes, so make sure to ask some of your classmates for it. I recommend going to the smartest student of the class though.", the teacher informed her before turning her attention back to the class.

Silently nodding, she went back to her seat- briefly glancing at the student that her teacher mentioned.

After getting dismissed, everyone stood up with distinct chatters as they piled out the class.

Lily took her wallet and turned to go and ask for some notes, but she found the seat empty. She saw him exiting the room with his own group of friends and decided that she's just going to ask later.

Following the flow of students, she tried to search for the familiar face in the crowd. She found her friend standing down the corridor and sped up to reach her faster. Hana also saw her and lifted up a hand to wave at her.

As soon as she reached Hana, they both continued walking towards the cafeteria.

"How's class?", Hana asked

"It was fine. Though I still have to copy some notes for English.", Lily answered as they followed the line of students waiting for their turn to get their food.

Humming in reply, Hana took a food tray and gave one to the girl beside her. Lily took the tray with a thank you as they talked about nonsensical things.

In the middle of their conversation, Lily turned her head to search for one particular person among the sea of students.

Having noticed the lack of attention, Hana turned to see Lily turning her head left and right with a deep frown.

"Looking for anyone?"

"Yeah. I'm looking for the one who could lend me notes.", Lily answered.

Seeing as the person she was looking for couldn't be found, she turned her attention to her friend once again.

Both girls took their food and went to search for an available table.

If there's one thing almost everyone couldn't understand, it's the fact that their school hasn't made any decision to make a bigger cafeteria. Only half the population of students fit the area so some students are forced somewhere else- not that they're complaining. Eating outside the open area is way better than being with hundreds of rowdy students; at least to Lily and Hana.  
But it does get annoying sometimes. Especially on those days where they seem lazier than usual- just like today.

"I seriously don't understand why they couldn't just renovate this place and make it bigger.", Hana grumbled as both friends sat down on an empty table they found at the corner.

"Well, that would mean closing the cafeteria down for at least a few months.", Lily answered as she started eating.

"True. But still, it would be better if this place is a bit bigger with more tables. Like c'mon, it's time for the school officials to realize that they have more students than they thought and make an action about it.", she rambled as she stabbed her food in annoyance

Lily chuckled at her friends’ actions.

"When you say it like that, it sounds like you're asking the officials to eliminate students.", she said with an airy laugh.

"That could work too! Imagine if there's an elimination every end of the month!", Hana exclaimed in an excited tone.

"This is not a competition, Hana. And besides, we can't have an elimination just so we can fit in the cafeteria.", Lily explained.

"No, but imagine how cool would that be! We'll be known as the first school to have that rule and that would also encourage students to try their very best!", she defended with wild gestures to help her prove her point.

"Sure, that would encourage students. But too much pressure is not good for us teenagers. Your idea could result to violence and fight between students.",Lily fired back.

Hana was silent for a few seconds before answering,"I guess you're right."

Lily shook her head at her friend's hesitation with admitting defeat in their mini banter.

Both friends continued eating while talking about different things, going from this topic to that.

After they finished eating, Lily turned to Hana.

"I'm going to go ahead. I still have to search for anyone who has the notes that I need to copy.", she informed her friend.

Hana nodded, "I also have to go. I have to meet up with my group for our science presentation later."

Both friends stood up to throw their trash before going their separate ways with a goodbye.

Lily went out of the cafeteria and proceeded to the school field where a few groups of students were spread out.

She found the person she's been searching for since earlier with his own group- not that they're easy to miss with all those loud noises they make.

Walking towards their direction, Lily tried to think of what she would say when she reaches them. She can't just go there and demand for some notes. She tried to think real hard but ended up with nothing.

She slowed down her pace when she realized that she's already reaching the group of people she intends to go to.

She wanted to chicken out and just forget it all, but her worries about the missed lessons overpowered her fear. Taking a deep breath, she continued walking with steps filled with useless determination.

As she approached them, all their conversations halted to a stop and all eyes zeroed in on her.

Clearing her throat, she tried to hide her shaking hands by crossing them behind her back.

"E-Excuse me. Sorry to bother you, b-but may I talk to Hyunjin for a moment?", she asked with a wince at her stuttering.

The boys in front of her turned towards Hyunjin who did nothing but stare at her.   
All the boys- with the exception of Hyunjin himself- nodded in unison; smiles blossoming on their faces.

Hyunjin sighed when he realized that he didn't have a choice but talk to the girl in front of them.

"What?"

He knows that his friends are staring at him with disappointed faces at his word.

"W-well, you see, Mrs. Yoon told me to ask you if I could somehow b-borrow some of the notes she gave you last Friday?", Lily replied with voice cracking at the end of her sentence.

She felt her face turning red as she noticed how some of the boys tried to control their faces from breaking into a smile at her failure at keeping a calm composure.

Hyunjin was silent for a few seconds before answering.

"I...I don't really have the notes for English.", he said in hesitation; as if he was afraid of disappointing the girl in front of him.

"Oh. Well, I guess I'll just borrow someone else's. Anyway, thank you for your time and sorry for bothering you.", she replied as she bowed her head before excusing herself.

She walked back inside the building with a hint of disappointment.

_ She just wasted her remaining free time asking someone for something he didn't have as well. _

Glancing at her watch, she groaned as she saw that she has less than fifteen minutes before their next class would start.

_ Great. Just great. _

\------

Back outside, Hyunjin was bombarded by his friends' questions and complaints.

"DUDE! Why did you say you didn't have the notes?", Changbin- the eldest out of the six- asked.

"Because I don't have the notes!", Hyunjin defended as he tried to get away from the other's teasing pokes.

"What do you mean you don't have notes? You're the smartest in our class!", Seungmin said while eating his remaining ice cream in a rush.

"I swear I didn't have the notes! I didn't write it!", Hyunjin answered with a scowl.

"Still! You should've offered to tutor her.", Seungmin sassed back.

"Why should I?", Hyunjin asked, completely clueless.

"Because didn't you see how her smile disappeared when you said you didn't have the notes?", Jisung answered, talking for the first time since the girl walked away.

"Why is that my problem?", Hyunjin asked back as he stared at his hands.

He clearly remembered how her face showed disappointment before she masked it with another smile. Thinking about it made him feel like a bad person.  _But how is any of that his problem?_

"Man, she's just asking for help. I heard from other students that she was sick last Friday so she didn't have a choice but to miss her classes.", Felix pointed out.

"That doesn't explain why you guys are treating me as if it was wrong of me to tell the truth that I don't have notes.", he answered, having caught on his friends' intention of guilt tripping him.

"We're just saying that she's disappointed.", Changbin replied.

"So?"

"You hate disappointing people.", Jeongin- their youngest- pointed out, leaving him feeling like he just committed the worst crime.

He stayed quiet at the truth of that answer.

_ Hwang Hyunjin hated disappointing other people _ .

Groaning in distress, he turned to his friends.

"What do you want me to do? I already told her I don't have the notes.", he asked with a deep frown.

Everyone turned silent at his words.

_ Did Hyunjin just admit defeat? _

"Well, you could text her and explain. You could also tell her that you're just going to tutor her", Jeongin suggested as all the heads turned towards his direction.

"What? That's the best thing you could do at the moment.", he defended as he saw Hyunjin's emotionless face staring at him as if he just said the most ridiculous thing ever.

"Genius!", Changbin exclaimed as he patted the younger's back with a proud smile.

"Do I really have to? You know I hate talking to other people.", Hyunjin asked with a desperate voice.

"I say you do exactly what Jeongin said. You need to start socializing, man.", Felix said, completely ignoring Hyunjin's pleading gaze.

Seeing as he is losing the battle, he just signed as he dropped his head with a groan. All his friends just laughed at his reaction.  _They sure love seeing him like this._

_ Text her. It won't be that hard. _

He was suddenly struck by a thought that left a smile on his face. Turning to his friends, he smirked at them.

"I don't think that's possible guys. You see, I don't have her number.", he said with a playful grin.

Everyone turned silent at his comment.

"Oh. You don't need to worry about that. I have her number.", Seungmin said in victory.

He deflated at the latter's answer, silent complaints leaving his lips- one of which sounded awfully like  _How do you even have her number._ Knowing he lost the fight, he just decided to not completely voice out his question.

_ Looks like he doesn't really have an escape. _

Taking his phone, he quickly composed a message and asked for her number.

_ 'Library. 4:30. I have the notes.' _

He quickly hit send and pocketed his phone.

He started walking towards their classroom when he realized one thing.

".....I'm on the same class as her. I could've just told her. Ahh why am I so stupid.", he muttered as he rubbed his face with both hands.

Hearing his comment, his friends all burst in laughter as they ran up to him with faces full of smiles. After all, it's a one-in-a-million opportunity to see Hyunjin that way.

_ Blushing till the tips of his ears. _


	5. 'Idiot'

 

_'Library. 4:30_.  _I have the notes.'_

 

How long had she been staring at the text sent to her? She doesn't know. She just let her eyes skim over the message over and over again.

 

The message had been sent from an unknown number. Whose number does she not know? Probably more than fifty percent of the school population. Sure she has the numbers of most seniors, but still, that would mean hundreds of others that remain unknown to her.

 

As she read the message once again, her mind just screamed out one name, but she only shook her head. The chances of that person messaging her would be zero.  _But still, the possibility._

 

The ringing bell snapped her out of her state. She just sighed as she kept her phone and took out her science textbook.

 

_The message had to wait._

 

Seeing as science is her favorite subject, she poured her full attention to whatever their teacher's teaching. 

 

_Light reflection and refraction._

 

She took her pen and copied what was written on the board.

 

' _The principal axis and the line that passes through the object forms a parallel line that meets at infinity to form an image.'_

 

She made sure to highlight what she wrote and continued writing important information.

 

She was so engrossed with the lesson that she failed to notice the figure that kept on glancing at her in each passing minute.

 

 

\------

Sitting next to Hyunjin, Seungmin witnessed his friend's action which caused him to chuckle.

 

"Don't you think you're staring too much?", he whispered to the man beside him.

 

Hyunjin flinched when he realized that he got caught.

 

"W-what are you talking about? I'm only trying to see what kind of person I'm interacting with.", he stammered.

 

"Sure.", Seungmin answered with a hint of teasing smile.

 

"I'm telling the truth.", Hyunjin hissed.

 

Seungmin just chose to ignore his comment, causing him to drop his head on the table with a groan.

 

Classes went by smoothly for everyone- except for Hyunjin who kept his head down the whole time.

 

Lily turned her head towards their table and caught the eye of the smiling Seungmin. Embarrassed that she got caught, she awkwardly smiled with a slight bow. Feeling her awkwardness, Seungmin returned the smile before turning to the boy beside him.

 

"Hey. She looked at our direction just now.", he informed Hyunjin with a nudge.

 

Hyunjin just groaned and continued ignoring his friend. On the outside, he looked like he's truly focusing on their lesson; digesting every information thrown his way. But on the inside, he was dying of embarrassment. Embarrassment for having been caught staring and embarrassment for his friend's behavior. All the words that their teacher spouted went in his ear and out to the other.

 

He wasn't able to focus at all. The sound of books closing snapped him out of his state. He looked around and realized that science class is over. He then looked down his notebook and saw the empty page waiting for him to write something.

 

He just closed his eyes as he felt a headache forming. Sure, he doesn't really take notes, but that's only when he already knows what's going on. But for today, he has no idea what their teacher just discussed in front.

 

He glanced at Seungmin's notebook but it looks like the other has also decided not to take notes.

 

"Hey.", he called out.

 

"Hmm?." Seungmin answered but didn't turn to look at him.

 

"Can I borrow your notes later?", he said, testing his luck.

 

"Oh. I didn't copy them. I can jus-", Seungmin didn't finish his statement as a playful smile bloomed on his face, "I don't have notes, man. Sorry", he said in a teasing manner.

 

"Whatever it is that's in your mind, count me out of it. I don't wanna be part of your craziness.", Hyunjin deadpanned; already having an idea of what's running in his friend's mind.

 

"But Hyunjin, this is your chance~", the other whined in defense. "I promise to help you out."

 

"No Seungmin. NO.", he replied with a shake of his head.

 

"Too bad, I don't take no for an answer.", Seungmin muttered before standing up and running towards the person sitting four tables away from them.

 

Hyunjin wanted to stop his friend, but it was too late. The moment he stood up, Seungmin has already reached his destination.

 

He ran his fingers through his hair as he helplessly stared at his friend who was now having a conversation with the person he wanted to avoid the most at the moment. He took large strides towards their direction and forcefully slung his arm around Seungmin who turned to him with a grimace.

 

"Excuse my friend here. I don't know what nonsense he spouted but I'll apologize on his behalf.", he said without looking at her.

 

"Uhm. It's okay. H-he didn't really say anything weird.", Lily stated as she fiddled with her fingers.

 

"Really? That's great.", Hyunjin awkwardly replied which caused Seugnmin to burst in snickers.

 

"I-I guess I'll meet you at the library later?", she asked hesitantly.

 

"L-library? Wha-"

"Yeah! He'll meet you there later!", Seungmin exclaimed- cutting Hyunjin off.

 

With that being said, Seungmin dragged the confused Hyunjin towards their table.

 

Hyunjin stood frozen as his mind raced from one thought to another. Finally getting his composure back, he turned his head and glared at his friend who was 'innocently' staring at him.  _Clearly a demon in an angel's disguise._

 

"What did you do?", he asked with a frown deeper than the ocean.

 

"What did I do?", Seungmin asked back.

 

"Seriously. What did you do?", Hyunjin pressed on.

 

"Geez. I only helped you clear your worries. By asking her to tutor you in science, you can easily tutor her for English.", Seungmin stated with a proud smile.

 

"Hey~ Cheer up. You're finally talking to another human being.", Seungmin said as he patted Hyunjin's shoulder.

 

Turning to his friend, he only gave him an unimpressed look. "Are you not human? What have I been interacting with this whole time?", he deadpanned.

 

It was Seungmin's turn to look at him with a look that screamed 'seriously?'.

 

Knowing that it was a losing battle, he just dropped on his seat. Out of all his friends, winning an argument against Seungmin would be an impossible task. The latter always had something to say in return.

 

"Can you at least tell me what you told her?", he asked, hopeful.

 

"No worries, man. I only told her that you weren't able to focus coz you're worried about her. No biggie~", Seungmin proudly announced.

 

"WHAT!?"

 

He tried to see if his friend was lying but only saw an overly proud face staring back at him.

 

Tugging at his hair, he dropped his head on his table; ignoring the curious stares from the other students who heard his loud exclaim.

 

"Please tell me you're joking. I'm begging you.", he muttered as he stared at his friend with a pleading gaze.

 

"It's okay, Hyunjin. She seems like a really good person. I mean, she did look weirded out at first but she understood my point.", Seungmin said with a shrug of his shoulder.

 

"I can't decide if you're just pretending to be stupid or maybe I've been friends with an idiot this whole time.", he said with a glare.

 

Seungmin just snorted at his comment.

 

"Don't insult Jisung like that. He might be a bit slow at some things but he can be smart if he wanted to."

 

"I'm talking about you, you idiot.", he deadpanned.

 

"Oh~ It's okay. Mom said I didn't need to be smart. As long as I know the basics then I can clearly survive.", he proudly announced.

 

Hyunjin just stared at his friend for a few minutes, trying to see if he's kidding or not. Realizing that their argument was pointless, he just sighed and buried himself in his misery.

 

_What did he do to deserve this punishment?_


	6. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey! guess who's still alive after all these months and back with a new chapter??? ME!!!!  
> i'd like to apologize in advance for the heavily unedited chapter ahead.

The library was silent when Lily arrived.

 

Only a few students were scattered around the room- occupying the tables provided. She looked around and tried to search for the person she was supposed to meet. Not seeing him, she just occupied the table at the corner of the room. She took her books out and laid them on the table. She glanced at the clock and heaved a deep sigh. She opened her books and answered the activities given to them that day. Glancing at the clock once again, she sighed as she realized that she's been waiting for him for already fifteen minutes.

 

_Did he abandon me?_

 

Somehow, the thought of being stood up brought a bitter taste in her mouth. She just shrugged and focused her attention at the task at hand- missing the figure that entered the library with hurried steps.

 

Hyunjin arrived at the library exactly ten minutes after their classes ended.

 

As soon as he entered, he felt his hands being clammy. His forehead's covered with sweat and he has no idea why. Maybe from the nervousness that leaked from his insides since half an hour ago, maybe not.

 

Standing at the entrance, he scanned the students spread out throughout the whole area. When he didn't see the person he was searching for, he turned his back and made his way out of the room. He started walking with his hand in his pockets. After a few moments, he found himself standing in front of the vending machine. He took his money and bought himself a drink.

 

As he squat down to take his drink, his mind flashed back to his earlier encounter with his classmate whose name he couldn't remember at the moment.  _Lily_. His mind provided.

 

Opening his can of drink, he took a gulp and glanced down his watch. All the liquids ended up going up his nostrils as he saw the time. _He was late!_

 

Picking up his pace, he hurried down the corridor; his nervousness doubling in each passing minute. He was so focused on running and reaching the library as fast as he could, that he failed to notice his drink spilling on his white uniform.

 

As soon as he opened the door, he immediately saw his classmate sitting on one of the empty tables by herself. He took a deep breath and made his way towards her. When he was finally standing in front of her, he quietly cleared his throat in hopes of catching her attention.

 

Hearing the sudden sound from in front of her, Lily snapped her head so fast she swears she heard a crack somewhere. Standing in front of him was Hwang Hyunjin himself.

 

"S-sorry I'm late. I went out to buy a drink and didn't notice the time...", he said as he tried to look anywhere but Lily.

 

Hearing what he said, Lily stood up and immediately bowed down. "H-Hi. I'm Lily. I'm sorry I was late. I had to go and inform my friend in a hurry, so..yeah.", Lily explained as she clasped her hands together.

 

Sensing the awkward tension between them, Hyunjin decided to drop his things on the table and took a seat in front of her.

 

Seeing his actions, Lily moved her things aside to give Hyunjin some space.

 

"So-"

 

"So-"

 

Both of them snapped their heads after hearing each other's voices. They both turned silent, waiting for the other to start talking.

 

Seeing that the female in front of him has remained silent, Hyunjin opened his mouth once again.

 

"I'm really sorry for being late.", he apologized once again.

 

Shaking her head, Lily replied, "It's really okay. Besides, I was late as well."

 

After that short conversation, silence enveloped them once again. Lily took it upon herself to start another conversation.

 

"So... Seungmin told me earlier that you needed some notes for the science discussion...", she said as she stared at the male in front.

 

"....yeah." was the only reply she received.

 

"You might not be able to understand my handwriting...", she said as she stretched out her hand that was holding her notebook.

 

Hyunjin glanced at her then to her outstretched hand then to her again before taking her notebook.

 

"Thank you.", he quietly said, still not looking at her.

 

He then opened his bag and took out a wrinkled paper.

 

Glancing at it, he frowned before looking at her. "These are the English notes that were given to us last Friday. I'm very sorry it got wrinkled, it must've happened when I ran earlier", he said as he offered the paper to her with both hands.

 

She took it with both hands and a quiet thank you- wondering if he lied earlier about not having the notes or if he had written down the notes in a hurry. Both of them then turned to their own tasks. It was silent between them as they got engrossed in what they're doing.

 

At first, it was an awkward kind of silent, but as minutes passed, they forgot about each other and got comfortable. It was an hour and a half later when Lily finished copying half of the notes. She turned her head and realized it was already starting to dim outside. Glancing at her watch, she read the time. 6:25. She turned to see Hyunjin still focusing on copying her notes. Silently tapping his arm, she watched as he snapped his head so fast and stared at her with widened eyes. She felt uncomfortable at the thought of her disturning the other's peace, but she knew she had to.

 

Pointing outside the window, she informed him about the time.

 

"It's already 6:25. And it's starting to get dark. If you want, you can bring my notebook home with you and continue copying the notes there." Hyunjin glanced outside and realized that it was indeed turning dim.

 

Nodding his head, he gathered his stuff just as Lily gathered hers.

 

Both of them stood up and went straight outside the library. They both walked silently before stopping near the school entrance.

 

"I'm going to go now. Thank you so much for the notes and for your time.", Lily stated with a bow.

 

Hyunjin responded with another bow before clearing his throat.

 

"I want to thank you too. For letting me copy your notes. I'll give it back tomorrow.", he replied.

 

Exchanging another set of bows, Lily bid him goodbye and started walking out.

 

"W-Wait!" Hyunjin's voice echoed throughout the whole empty corridor.

 

She turned around as Hyunjin ran towards her.

 

"M-May I ask what Seungmin told you earlier?", he asked.

 

Dumbfounded by his question, she opened her mouth and closed it as she tried to process his request. "U-uhm... he just said that something's been bothering you.. And that you really need the notes.", she stammered.

 

"He.. he didn't say anything weird?", he asked once again.

 

At the shake of her head, he released a breath he didn't know he was holding in.

 

_Maybe Seungmin's not an idiot after all. Just a really evil friend who's blessed with the greatest ability at lying._

 

He just nodded as she watched the girl walk out of the school premises. As he saw her exit through the gate, he also started walking towards the bus stop.

 

He took out his phone and saw 25 messages from his friends and 2 missed calls from his mother. He clicked on his messages and frowned at the messages from his friend.

 

 

**Minnie**

'Heyya~~ how's your tutoring session?'

_5:17 p.m._

 

'Seeing as you're not replying, I'm guessing you're having a great time?'

_5:28 p.m._

 

'Can I tell the others about your love life now?'

_5:43 p.m._

 

 

**BBChan**

'What nonsense is Ssungmin spouting? You're on a date?'

_5:35 p.m._

 

'Enjoy😏'

 _5:59 p.m_.

 

 

Closing his eyes, he sighed in annoyance- quietly thinking of ways to murder his best friend. He didn't need to open the other messages to know that they're all teasing from his friends.

 

As soon as he reached the bus stop, his eyes immediately caught the figure sitting on one of the seats. Who would've thought they were going to see each other again after saying their goodbyes earlier. Sitting on the farthest seat away from her, he took out his headphones and plugged it in the phone. He blasted his music and closed his eyes- shutting away from the world.

 

An incoming call cut his peace off and brought a scowl on his face.

 

_Mom is calling..._

 

He watched as it rang and rang before ending up as another missed call. Glancing up, he brightened at the sight of the approaching bus. He stood up and couldn't help but notice how the other person at the bus stop stand up as well. As the bus halted into a stop, he immediately boarded it and took a seat near the door. He watched his classmate take a seat near the back of the bus.

 

 _What a great coincidence. She's also riding bus 4419._  


End file.
